On any given day, the Alaska Native Medical Center (ANMC) is caring for dozens of patients who no longer need hospital-level care. While they are well enough to leave the hospital, they are not quite ready to go home.
The ANTHC Board of Directors approved construction of a Short-term Skilled Nursing Facility to address this gap in the continuum of care. In early summer 2024, ANTHC broke ground on the $69 million project, which will soon alleviate capacity pressure at the hospital. The facility will provide patient care at the appropriate level and improve our ability to support acute patient care needs at the hospital.
Construction of the 78-bed, 92,000 square-foot, short-term skilled nursing facility will begin in earnest in the coming months, with site fill and balancing underway and footing and foundation work to follow.
The facility is expected to be completed in the summer 2026. The facility will also house an occupational rehabilitation area, public and private dining areas, a chapel, game and activity rooms, and an outdoor courtyard.
Finishes and artwork will be carefully selected, taking Alaska Native cultures and values into consideration.
Project Achievements & Upcoming Milestones: While construction on the facility began in August 2024, the foundation was recently completed in March of this year. The Concrete has been poured for the second elevator and stem walls. Backfilling has been completed in the areas where shallow underground work was done. Crews will begin erecting steel on May 27 and will continue to erect and envelope the building through December 2025.
Construction Impacts: This is a new build construction project on the corner of Ambassador Drive and Elmore Road. There should not be direct impacts to patients, although visitors to campus will most likely notice new construction activity. Noise levels will increase in the immediate vicinity due to the operation of heavy equipment.
